Emergency housing from the council
How to get emergency housing
Contact the council to make a homeless application.
Every council should have a daytime number and an emergency out of hours number.
How to contact your council's homeless team
What is your location?
Ask for help before you need emergency housing if you can.
The council might be able to help you stay in your current home or find you somewhere else to live so you do not become homeless.
What to expect
If you contact the council's homeless team during normal working hours, they should check if you need emergency housing that day.
If they do not ask you about this, tell them:
you need emergency housing
why your situation is urgent
if you're in priority need
Outside of normal working hours, you might speak to someone in a call centre or duty social worker instead. Ask to speak to whoever deals with homeless applications out of hours.
Who qualifies for emergency housing
Anyone can ask for homeless help but not everyone can get emergency housing.
The council must provide emergency housing if they think you might:
have children, be pregnant, be at risk of domestic abuse, or have another priority need
meet the immigration conditions
Contact a Shelter adviser if the council have already refused to provide emergency housing and you think you should qualify.
Last updated: 23 November 2021
